Meet Debut Author Anthea Lawson

Anthea Lawson is the pen name for a husband and wife team, Anthea and Lawson, who create historical romances set in exotic locales during the Victorian period. Their debut novel, Passionate, which released in October 2008, was a RITA® finalist this year for Best First Book. Prior to that, the story was a 2006 Golden Heart® finalist. Their second book, All He Desires, is due to hit the shelves next month.

Talent oozes from this couple’s fingertips. Not only do they write awarding-winning stories, but they’re also two of three members comprising the Celtic group Fiddlehead. Anthea plays the fiddle and sings; Lawson plays the guitar for the band, but he also plays the banjo and bodhran (a one sided Irish drum played with a two-headed drumstick). They’ve been performing together for 15 years and have produced several CDs.

Anthea and Lawson live in Olympia, Washington with their daughter, where Lawson works for the state and Anthea teaches Irish fiddle. The couple met through an online writers’ group in the early days of the Internet and conducted much of their courtship via email. And lest you have concerns about a man writing romance, Lawson proposed to Anthea at sunrise on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Can you say aaah?

Join me as we learn about more about Anthea and Lawson and their journey to publication.

(Look at the bottom of the post for multiple drawing prizes offered, including TWO copies of their debut novel, Passionate.)

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Anthea Lawson’s Journey Begins

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•You sold the first book you wrote. When did you begin the story, and how long did it take to get it “right”?

(Note: I’ve asked Anthea to put an A in front of her answers, and Lawson to use an L for his. Yeah, I know. Real creative, huh? )

A: I got inspired to write a romance, sat down, and in two weeks had written twenty-five thousand words of a novel. Unfortunately, although the story was interesting and compelling inside my head, it hadn’t come out that way on the page. Lawson read it, furrowed his brow, (Lawson adds: it was only a very small furrow) and together we started learning the craft of fiction. It took about two years and many re-writes to get the book to the point we felt it was finished – and then another year and half of improvements based on agent and editor feedback to end up with the final version of Passionate.

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•Where did you come up with the idea for Passionate? Did the characters start chatting, did you visualize a certain scene or did an entire story play out in one of your head’s movie style?

A: I had just finished reading a book that promised romance with exotic adventure, but didn’t deliver on the adventure part. I love historical settings, and I began to imagine what would take characters to interesting and exotic lands – a botanical expedition! Lawson started brainstorming story ideas and characters with me, which was a lot of fun, especially the villainous Cousin Reggie. We knew what the high and low points of the story would be (more or less) but had to write the book to know how to fill in the holes.

L: Our process involves a lot of time spent together talking about the characters and plot of the story. We ask and answer questions about the characters for each other and bring in the bits and pieces of research that get woven into the story. For Passionate, there was a book (The Plant Hunters) about British “adventure botanists” who went on expeditions to bring back plant specimens for the gardens of Europe. That one really inspired us.

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•Much of Passionate is set in Tunisia and All He Desires in Crete. What led you to choose such exotic locales? Have you been able to visit these wonderful places in the name of research?

L: We live in Western Washington State where it is gray and drizzly all winter long. Someone once described our climate this way: Go into your bathroom, turn out the light, get in the shower with the water on cold. Now stay there—for six months! While it’s not quite that bad, you do start longing for bright sun and warm breezes by the time midwinter arrives. Some of that longing found its way into the settings and locations in our first two stories. We wrote about places we would like to visit, but never have—yet.

One of our dreams is to someday write a novel while living on an island in the Mediterranean. I imagine walking on the beach in the morning with Anthea, chatting about our characters while the sun sparkles on the water and waves make that peaceful shushing sound as they run up on the shore.

A: What Lawson said!

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Anthea Lawson’s Mountaintop Experiences

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•In March 2006, you received a call from a Romance Writers of America® board member that many an unpublished writer longs to get. Your story, the first you’d written, then known as Fortune’s Flower, was a Golden Heart finalist. How did you react to this news? Did that final open any doors for you?

A: Finaling in the Golden Heart was a tremendous boost – to our own confidence in our writing, and in terms of getting an agent. After the Golden Heart final, we saw a definite increase in interest from agents and ended up signing not long after. Getting that Golden Heart call is a rush! The support among the other finalists and RWA® in general was wonderful.

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•You sold two books to Kensington Zebra. Where were you when you received The Call, and who took it? Who was most excited? And was your happy dance a dignified waltz, an 80s-style disco number or something beyond description?

A: Our agent called to let us know we had an offer from Kensington. We both got on the phone and were thrilled to hear that they wanted TWO books! Thrilled and a little panicked, since we weren’t sure we could do it again – book two was only about halfway written at that point. I think I was most excited – Lawson was stunned but very pleased. We were in the kitchen, and I remember big hugs and high-fives. Oh, and we do know how to waltz…

L: All my dances are beyond description.

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•Passionate made its debut a year ago this month. What was your reaction when you held your book in your hands for the first time? How did you celebrate your release? A huge launch party with plenty of Celtic music playing perhaps?

L: For me it was strange to see that oh-so-familiar stack of manuscript paper packaged and turned into a book. It really takes a while to sink in. You open the pages and read a little just to make sure it’s really yours. It is! The publisher didn’t make a mistake and put somebody else’s words in there. Every book you have ever picked up in your life has had someone else’s words inside, but this one, this one has yours. There are the characters you created. There is that line you wrote and rewrote to get just right.

You don’t get just one copy. They come in a big box and then you realize that this is not the only box: there are thousands of copies being sent out to stores across the United States. You are published! Ding! Whether the book succeeds or fails in the marketplace, you are a novelist. No one can ever take that away.

As for the celebration, we rented a local historic mansion and threw a big release party with a reading and book signing. Here is Anthea at the signing table looking proud and writerly.

A: When the box of author copies came, we each took a book and sat side-by-side on the couch, flipping through the pages and reading passages aloud to one another. It took a while to comprehend that, yes, this really was OUR book!

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•You received another call from RWA® this year with news that Passionate was a finalist in the RITA for Best First Book. How many glasses did you shatter with your shrieks? And what was it like being at RWA Nationals as a RITA finalist?

A: The night before, I had made some joke about getting a call from RWA the next day, never DREAMING it would actually be a reality. Kelley St. John called that morning and as soon as she identified herself, I felt an enormous, quivering smile take over my whole body. She asked how I was, and I said “Really excited!” which made her laugh. Lawson kept saying “no way.” It was fabulous.

And Nationals as a RITA finalist – wow! I felt like a princess, and had a great time. Sadly, Lawson couldn’t come – his work schedule was set before we even had Nationals on the map.

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Anthea Lawson’s Process

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•I’m sure you’re asked this repeatedly, but how does your collaborative process work? What strengths do each of you bring to the writing partnership? How do you divvy the duties?

L: Anthea is fearless about facing a blank page and filling it with words, and she has an unsinkable optimism that drives the whole project forward. She is also a very lyrical writer with a great sense of description and detail. Usually we talk the scene through, then she drafts it. After that, I come through and work the second draft. I focus on character emotion and dialogue and will add sentences, paragraphs, and mini-scenes. Then it is back to Anthea. Meanwhile, we are thinking and talking about what comes in the next chapter, plus the overall arc of the story.

Now that we are published, our agent is pitching our next books based on the first three chapters and a synopsis. We have to think the whole story through and have a good idea who the characters are before we have written much of the story. I’m sure our process will continue to evolve and change as we develop as writers and storytellers. For one thing, now we have to complete books in months instead of years.

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•What challenges do you face co-authoring a novel. How do you overcome them?

L: For me, the biggest challenge is keeping up with Anthea. She thinks fast, writes fast, and wants to move forward quickly. I’m more deliberative. I want to get things right, to consider options, to make it really, really good. The mixture and interplay of our drives makes for better stories, but it takes compromise and understanding.

Of course writing novels together is more than just being co-authors. For Anthea and me, doing creative projects is really how we move through life as a couple. We do it as musicians, as parents, as business partners and as writers. It’s woven into the fabric of our lives. We have had years now to get to know our complementary strengths and to develop a deep respect for each other.

A: One of the interesting challenges is coming to a mutual vision of what is going to happen in the book. With Passionate, we had talked about a scene taking place during a meal aboard the ship as the characters travel to the Mediterranean. I drafted it as an alfresco luncheon out on the deck—while it turns out Lawson had envisioned a formal dinner inside! We had some negotiating to do on that one (grin). Since then, we’ve learned to clearly articulate the scenes we feel are most important. Other things we can leave sketchy and see what happens in the writing, and we’re getting pretty good at hearing one-another out, even if at first we don’t agree.

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Anthea Lawson’s Debut Novel

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•Please tell us about Passionate.

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A finalist for the RWA RITA Best First Book award, this debut Victorian-set novel takes the reader on a romantic adventure from the ballrooms and parlors of London through the Mediterranean to the exotic valleys of Tunisia. Fans of Julia Quinn and Connie Brockway will enjoy this witty foray into the outer edges of civilization—and propriety.

Temptation…

Before she must wed, Lily Strathmore decides upon one final adventure—a botanical expedition through the wilds of North Africa with her uncle and his family. In search of a fabled bloom, James Huntington soon joins them. Handsome to a fault and rakish to boot, he has the maddening habit of catching Lily at her most improper…

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•Since All He Desires will hit the shelves soon, please tell us about it as well.

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All He Desires features a brooding hero and a pure, but passionate, heroine. Self-exiled on the Isle of Crete, an English doctor with a troubled past meets the one woman who can bring him out of the shadows and into the light.

And then he kissed her…

Far from home and her noble relatives, Miss Caroline Huntington has been injured in a fall from her horse. Called to her side, Alex Trentham knows he must assist her, though he has sworn not to practice medicine again. Caroline is all that is warm and feminine, beautiful and pure. Brave to a fault, she does not flinch under his hands and is soon on the mend. Alex struggles to hide his feelings, knowing his dark past shadows any hope of a future, but the beautiful Caroline is impossible to resist…

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Anthea Lawson’s Journey Continues

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•Passionate has been out for a year, and All He Desires will be available this November. What can your readers look forward to next?

A: We are currently working on a new series set against the glittering backdrop of 19th century musical celebrity. We’re enjoying taking talented, spirited heroines, pairing them with masterful heroes, and adding music to the mix. It’s fun to weave our own experience as performing musicians into the books!

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Five Fun Facts About Anthea

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~ Chocolate helps me make my word count goals!

~ I’m an Aquarius.

~ I have never broken any bone in my body – and I climbed lots of trees as a kid.

~ In middle school I thought I would be an astrophysicist when I grew up. (Probably Carl Sagan’s fault.)

~ I need at least 9 hours of sleep a night. True!

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Five Fun Facts About Lawson

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~ I play five instruments: guitar, banjo, mandolin, bouzouki and bodhran.

~ My favorite number is the number five.

~ I wrote all the words in italics on page 5 of Passionate.

~ I can easily do five pushups (but not while being tickled).

~ I have visited five foreign countries (drat, it was six, but Canada didn’t stamp my passport).

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Anthea and Lawson’s Questions for You

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•I’ve enjoyed having you as my guests, Anthea and Lawson. Thanks for your great answers to my questions. Now it’s your turn to ask a question of your visitors, so let’s have one from each of you.

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Have you read Passionate yet? We’re giving away two copies to make it easier for you! Ok, ok, here is the real question . . . Where is the most exotic place you’ve ever been?

To leave a comment, click on “Comments” below the date in the title at the top of the post.

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Learn More About Anthea Lawson

Visit “her” Web site ~ http://anthealawson.com

Friend “her” on Facebook ~ Anthea Lawson

Follow “her” on Twitter ~ AntheaLawson

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Leave a Comment for Three Chances to Win

To leave a comment, click on “Comments” below the date in the title at the top of the post.

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Special Drawing

Anthea and Lawson have generously offered to give away TWO copies of Passionate to two visitors who leave a comment for them.

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment for Anthea and/or Lawson by October 13th and enter your email address when prompted. (I don’t share your information or add it to any mailing lists.) On October 14th, I’ll post the winners’ names here.

Congratulations to the winners: Janette Harjo and Alison.

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My Regular Drawing

My next drawing will take place October 20th. I’m giving away an etched steel magnet with the word Dream scroll cut from the center of the oval disc.

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To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on any blog post by October 20th and enter your email address when prompted. (I don’t share your information or add it to any mailing lists.) On October 21st, I’ll post the winner’s name in the Welcome post at the top of the blog.

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You could also win a First Sale Scrapbook

If you’d like to have a chance at winning a First Sale Scrapbook created by me, your blog hostess Keli Gwyn, leave a comment on any post between now and October 31st. Be sure to include your name and email address when prompted if you want to be entered in the drawing. (Your information will not be shared.) Click red link above to see samples of covers and pages.

On November 1st, I will choose one person who will have her/his choice of covers on an 8×8 inch, twenty-page scrapbook in which s/he can document that long-awaited first sale. The pages will cover various milestones including The Call, signing the contract, receiving the first advance payment and holding your debut novel in your hands.

(No scrapbooking skills required. You just add your photos and journaling.)